Historic 1st at Russian Nats Ladiez SP

It seems I'm desensitized to all the amazing stats being churned out, such are the levels of technical ability these days. Somehow it took me a day to realise that every lady in the top 10 at Russian nats performed a 3/3 as their combo. That is just incredible, particularly for a national championships.

I remember 2004 worlds blowing my mind a little when Ando, Kostner, Arakawa all landed 3/3's but this is obviously a whole other story!

I'm fairly sure Radionova's 3 flip half loop 3 salchow is also a first for ladies??

The only combination left for ladies is any triple, half loop 3 flip!

One thing is for dead sure, Russian Ladies have come a long way since 2008 when Ksenia DORONINA and Petushkova, Ievleva and Naidenova were the best of the best! WHo? Exactly! That is an AMAZING turn around.

yeah, the days of doronina (horrible posture!), petushkova (truck driver skating!), ievleva (couldnt land anything more difficult than a salchow, if I remember correctly) ... i forgot who naidenova is already ... oh well, they all tried their best!

the new generation is exciting indeed. do you have a favourite? (I don't count Leonova/Makarova as the new generation ... poor Makarova, her time is up ) I like Korobeynikova the best due to her elegance ... Biryukova ain't that bad either (and she's pretty).

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Tuktamysheva's change of combo in the SP was motivated by Yu-Na Kim's 3Lu/3T in her SP.

Click to expand...

There are actually a number of ladies doing 3lz-3t as their combo for the SP; unfortunately, most of them are juniors. Liza T regularly did the 3lz-3t combo for the past two seasons but took it out b/c she started going through a growth spurt/weight change. She brought it back at the GPF and it appears to be working again. I'm so sad she had to withdraw here. I wonder if they'll grant her a bye to worlds. It's obvious she's hitting her stride and if she's sick and not injured she'll be much better by the time worlds rolls around.

There's still a chance that Tuktamysheva (who withdrew from today's FS reportedly due to illness & doctor's orders) could be named to the team for Euros. According to Eislauffan, the third spot(s) are decided by recommendation of a "coaches' council" and the team will be announced on Friday.

There are actually a number of ladies doing 3lz-3t as their combo for the SP; unfortunately, most of them are juniors. Liza T regularly did the 3lz-3t combo for the past two seasons but took it out b/c she started going through a growth spurt/weight change. She brought it back at the GPF and it appears to be working again. I'm so sad she had to withdraw here. I wonder if they'll grant her a bye to worlds. It's obvious she's hitting her stride and if she's sick and not injured she'll be much better by the time worlds rolls around.

Click to expand...

I can't see how they would leave Liza off the World team because there is sure as heck isn't three better skaters in Russia right now. Plus she needs the experience of having at least one Worlds appearance under her belt before Sochi.

I can't see how they would leave Liza off the World team because there is sure as heck isn't three better skaters in Russia right now. Plus she needs the experience of having at least one Worlds appearance under her belt before Sochi.

It seems I'm desensitized to all the amazing stats being churned out, such are the levels of technical ability these days. Somehow it took me a day to realise that every lady in the top 10 at Russian nats performed a 3/3 as their combo. That is just incredible, particularly for a national championships.

Click to expand...

Actually, not only first ten ladies. I think it was like 16 out of 18 competitors or something similar to that. The majority of the skaters had triple-triple in the SP, and I am not talking about 3T-3T; most of them had much harder combinations than that. It was the same last year though.

Actually, not only first ten ladies. I think it was like 16 out of 18 competitors or something similar to that. The majority of the skaters had triple-triple in the SP, and I am not talking about 3T-3T; most of them had much harder combinations than that. It was the same last year though.

Click to expand...

Based on Mishin's assessment of Russian ladies in figure skating, I'm thinking there must a new labor shortage for female railroad construction workers in Siberia.

Joannie's was 3T/1Lo/3S ( when it was scored as a ' series' valued at 80% with a 1/2 loop connection and did not receive full points as a combination.) both before and after the combination rule change.
I don't think she ever did the jump combo with a 3F.
It allowed her to do 7 triples without a 3/3 in the FP ( she did not do 2A/3T)

Joannie's was 3T/1Lo/3S ( when it was scored as a ' series' valued at 80% with a 1/2 loop connection and did not receive full points as a combination.) both before and after the combination rule change.
I don't think she ever did the jump combo with a 3F.

Click to expand...

That's what I thought too.

Tara Lipinski and Maria Butyrskaya also did 3T-half loop-3S in 6.0 competitions. There might have been one or two other ladies I can't think of right now.

Actually, not only first ten ladies. I think it was like 16 out of 18 competitors or something similar to that. The majority of the skaters had triple-triple in the SP, and I am not talking about 3T-3T; most of them had much harder combinations than that. It was the same last year though.

I remember quite a bit of discussion that as she got older and skating got harder with puberty she also clearly became more interested in parties and boys and (at least became) not a particularly a hard worker. Nothing verified, just what I remember folks chatting about at Euros...

I applaud the Russian ladies! I know it isn't all about jumping but it is nice to see skaters working their way up the ranks while doing the technical content worthy of the time. In my opinion, far too many skaters get away with content that is a joke because they have such great skating skills. Why would anyone continue working on jumps if they could focus on edges, speed, etc and win competitions with 3loops and 3salchows? Skating skills should be rewarded but not to the point of undermining technical content with the jumps. This is why no one will stand even a remote chance against Yu Na Kim if she completes this comeback because she gets the huge PCS and does the jumps.